From Overwhelmed to Empowered: Simplifying Your Money Journey
In this episode of The Empowered & Embodied Show, hosts Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Amanda Neely, certified financial planner, author, and CEO of Wealth Wisdom Financial. Together, they explore the often-intimidating topic of money through a lens of empowerment, simplicity, and self-discovery. Amanda shares her holistic approach to financial planning, which addresses not just the numbers but also the emotions and stories we carry around money. This episode is a practical and inspiring guide to reclaiming financial empowerment and making aligned choices.
Shifting Your Perspective: What if Money Wasn’t Supposed to Be Hard?
Amanda recalls a formative moment as a teenager when she helped her mom navigate financial challenges. “I didn’t know it was supposed to be hard,” she reflects, challenging the narrative that money must always feel overwhelming. Instead, Amanda invites us to ask, “What if this were easy?”
Key Takeaways:
Simplification is Key: We often overcomplicate money matters. Simplifying your approach can create space for clarity and confidence.
Empowerment through Tools: Amanda compares money to tools like a hammer or screwdriver—once you learn how to use it, it becomes less intimidating and more functional.
Address Emotional Baggage: Money is often loaded with emotional and societal baggage. Reframing it as a neutral tool can be transformational.
The Still Method: A Framework for Financial Empowerment
Amanda introduces her “STILL” method, a powerful framework to create a balanced and intentional approach to money management:
S – Set Your Sights: Start with a vision for where you want to go. Whether through journaling or creating a vision board, orient yourself toward a goal.
T – Track Your In and Out: Keep tabs on what’s coming in and going out. This can be as simple as checking your bank transactions.
I – Inspect Your Progress: Take a moment to reflect on whether your current habits align with your goals.
L – Look for Micro Adjustments: Focus on small, actionable changes that can create meaningful progress.
L – Live Deliberately: Implement your adjustments and assess their impact before making the next move.
Reclaiming Your Power through Trusted Advisors
The conversation delves into the importance of finding allies—financial or otherwise—who empower rather than disempower you. Amanda emphasizes that trusted advisors should amplify your voice, not take over the conversation.
Key Points:
Be the CEO of Your Financial Life: Allies should keep you in control, offering guidance that aligns with your goals and values.
Fire the Wrong Fit: Amanda shares a story of a client who fired a financial advisor unwilling to communicate in an understandable way. “Never let anyone gaslight or mansplain you,” she affirms.
Ask for Help: Kim highlights the value of seeking support, whether logistical or emotional, as a means of bridging the gap between vision and execution.
Stillness as an Act of Power
Louise brings attention to the power of stillness in decision-making. “Sometimes, sitting with something is the action we need to take,” she shares, encouraging listeners to embrace pauses rather than rushing to solutions.
Kim expands on this idea by exploring the role of movement and flow. “Movement doesn’t have to be big,” she explains, advocating for listening to your body as a way to unlock clarity.
Empowering Questions to Take Away
As the episode concludes, Kim, Louise, and Amanda leave listeners with thought-provoking questions:
Where do you feel disempowered? Is it money, time, your job, or relationships?
How can you simplify these challenges and reclaim your power?
What small, actionable step can you take today to align with your vision?
Key Takeaways
Money as a Tool: Shift your mindset to see money as a practical resource to use intentionally, not as something to worship or fear.
Reclaiming Your Power: You are the CEO of your financial life; trusted advisors should empower you, not dictate your choices.
Navigating the Messy Middle: Life’s transitions are often messy. Be kind to yourself as you explore new habits and create new financial realities.
The STILL Method: Amanda’s framework for financial clarity involves Setting your sights, Tracking your income and expenses, Inspecting progress, Looking for micro-adjustments, and Living deliberately.
Clarity Through Movement and Stillness: Both moving the body and finding stillness can help clear mental clutter and bring new insights.
Key Moments
[00:00] Celebrating Wins and the Power of Receiving
[05:04] Introducing Amanda Neely and Her Unique Approach to Financial Empowerment
[09:41] Money as a Tool, Not a Deity
[12:09] Overcoming Financial Stress through Simplification
[15:19] Strategies for Financial Empowerment and Building a Money Team
[20:09] Trusted Advisorship and Taking Back Control of Your Finances
[29:02] Micro-Adjustments and the STILL Method Framework
[32:33] Checking In with Yourself on Your Financial Journey
[37:12] The Role of Movement and Stillness in Gaining Clarity
[42:51] Embodied Financial Empowerment: Using the Language of the Body
Connect With Amanda
Website: www.wealthwisdomfp.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wealth-wisdom-financial/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/wealthwisdomfp/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WealthWisdomFinancial
Are you ready to reclaim your power and live (and work) with more ease? Discover your unique blueprint to do just that with Kim's Strengthscape Self-Mastery Profile.
Looking for something different and feeling lost about where to start? Rediscover your purpose and how to craft a career that makes sense. Check out Louise's Midlife Career Mastery program.
